Staff Reports
Karine Jean-Pierre had her hands full at the White House briefing on Tuesday. Reporters grilled her on President Joe Biden’s fitness for office after his dismal debate performance last week. But instead of addressing the elephant in the room, the Biden team stuck to their well-worn strategy: recontextualize and deflect.
The first soundbite was that Biden merely had an “off night.” So, it wasn’t that the president was in cognitive decline; he just happened to be short-circuiting at a particularly inconvenient moment. Convenient excuse? Sure, but the American people aren’t buying it.
BIDEN: "…with the COVID.. excuse me.. dealing with.. everything we have to do with.. look.. if… we finally beat, Medicare."
TRUMP: "He's right. He did beat Medicare. He's destroying Medicare." pic.twitter.com/jgVCpXUhWZ
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) June 28, 2024
Secondly, the press secretary tried to sell the narrative that Biden still “knows what he’s doing,” attributing his sluggishness to the wisdom and experience of age. It’s as if Jean-Pierre believes that stumbling over words and forgetting crucial points are endearing qualities of a seasoned politician. Observers are far from convinced.
During Thursday’s debate with former President Donald Trump, the favorite for the GOP nomination, Biden’s performance was catastrophic. He lost his train of thought multiple times and delivered nonsensical statements, capping off one rambling answer about health care with the baffling line, “We finally beat Medicare.” Naturally, Trump seized the moment to point out that if anyone is beating Medicare, it’s Biden – into the ground.
Reporters threw some hardball questions at Jean-Pierre, asking point-blank if Biden is suffering from any cognitive illnesses like Alzheimer’s or dementia. Jean-Pierre brusquely dismissed these queries with a sharp “No,” but her defensiveness only spurred further speculation. Perhaps she hoped to fool herself even if she wasn’t convincing the press corps.
Unfortunately for the White House, instances of Biden’s lapses aren’t one-off events. His on-stage freezes and mental fogs have been happening for months. No amount of media spin can hide what’s painfully obvious: the president is on a steady decline. The upcoming sit-down with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and the NATO Summit press conference presents slim chances for Biden to redeem himself. Until then, Americans will continue to watch, concerned and incredulous.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party and its allies forge ahead, eyes wide shut to the reality that Biden’s struggle has become the nation’s struggle.
